Congo and MIDI

It's standard MSC.

The MSC spec can be read here: http://www.richmondsounddesign.com/docs/midi-show-control-specification.pdf

Also details on page 972 of the congo manual: http://www.etcconnect.com/docs/docs_downloads/manuals/Congo_Family_v6.4_User_Manual_RevA.pdf

Hello

Certainly we fail to use the Midi Show Control.

We try to drive the Congo Jr 2, with the Congo Jr 1.

The midi OUT plug is connected on Congo 1.

The midi IN plug is connected on Congo 2.

In the Setup Midi Show Control:

Congo 1, Enable and ID 2

Congo 2, Enable and ID 1.

Inside the Congo 1 there is a sequence with presets 1, 2, 3, 4...

Inside the Congo 2 there is a sequence with presets 301, 302, 303, 304...

The goal is that GO preset 2 on the Congo 1, triggers preset 301 on the Congo 2 .

On the Congo 1, in the Sequence List, at step 2 /preset 2, in the Action Macro column,

 We write F0 01 02 01 01 F7 7F (to make a Go on the preset 301, Congo 2).

When performing the Go on the Congo 1, Congo 2 does not react.

Have we done something wrong?

Someone have an idea?

See you soon

MLB 

Hi,

In the action macro column, before the raw MIDI data, you need to type "MIDI 0 ". This will send the data bytes you are specifying to the local MIDI port (which is called 0).

The command listed above doesn't look like a valid MIDI Show Control command. 

The main idea with MIDI Show Control commands like GO is to sync with the same preset number on the receiving side. Then everything is handled automatically for you. If you want to sync with another preset number, you have to assemble the command manually, which can be tedius.

I wonder if it might be easier in your case to just send MIDI Program Change messages to the receiving Congo. Program change 0-127 will jump to sequence step 1-128. This would make the assembly of the MIDI packet much simpler for you. 

Something like this: "MIDI 0 C0 xx" where xx is the number 0-127 in hexadecimal notation.

You need to activate the Program Change checkbox in the MIDI setup on the receiving side.

attention: i have no idea about congo, but midi is the same with other desks too...

your midi data F0 01 02 01 01 F7 7F is not valid MSC data, as MSC needs to start with F0 7F. the structure (if you really want to do it with MIDI_Raw, see remark below) is this:

F0(=start) 7F(=all-call) [Device ID] 02(=MSC) [Command Format] [Command] [Data] F7(=stop)

command format: enter 01 for Light

command: enter 01 for Go

data: enter the cue number in the following format: single digits with a 3 in front: 301 -> 33 30 31

two remarks: this is the syntax to run a Cue, but i don't know if congo treats its presets like this

why don't you use the implemented MSC function instead of sending MSC commands through MIDI_Raw, so that it triggers cues with the same number? congo 1 preset 1 executes congo 2 preset 1. i'm sure there is a much simpler way to do this instead of triggering different preset numbers.

Ignore the Action Macros, you do not need them.

Congo has perfectly good MIDI Show Control functionality for both Transmit and Receive:

• Press [Setup], look at the "MIDI" tab.
• Tick the "MIDI Show Control" tickybox.
• Ensure the "Device ID" matches on both consoles.
  - I notice that MLB has different Device IDs for Congo and Jr. This won't work as the 'master' and the 'slave' must have the same ID.
• Ensure the Preset numbers on the two consoles match.
  - Ueli is right that a Congo Preset number is the MSC Cue number.
  - Note that MSC only supports 1 decimal place so you can't use MSC to goto Preset 1.001, only 1.0, 1.1 etc

This will just work.

- You can use the Organiser to renumber large numbers of Presets, either by copy/paste (or drag'n'drop) into the same show (eg 2-tab Organiser), or by Importing them into a play and renumbering on Import.

Alternatively, you can insert 'trigger' Presets with matching numbers in the 'slave' sequence that autofollow into the next step (follow/wait time 0.01s)

I really don't understand why you would want to reimplement MSC using Action Macros to talk to another Congo.
The Action Macro MIDI syntax is there so you can use your Congo to talk to a third-party 'black box' MIDI device that you can't easily adjust.